


Ghost  Affair

by Cumbacandy



Category: ghost story - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-18 08:53:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5918278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cumbacandy/pseuds/Cumbacandy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Rachel moves into her dream home strange things start to happen</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy the story please excuse my grammar and spelling

GHOST AFFAIR   
By  
Cumbacandy

Chapter 1  
A new start

My name is Rachel I work as legal secretary  
and I was looking for the house just like my grandmas I had been saving for quite a while and with the money my grandma left me I couldn’t wait to move out of my small bed-sit and in to my own home.  
I had been looking at properties for a couple of months now and I couldn’t find what I wanted   
So it was another day and more properties i was feeling frustrated none of the houses were anywhere near what i was looking for I wanted a house with character a house that had history the estate agent sighed as i turned down the property we had just viewed   
Well we have one more property to see today maybe you will like this one  
I tried to look hopeful  
I climbed into the agents car and we drove away, we pulled up outside a beautiful 1940s house it had lovely bay windows and its original tiled path and gate with its sunrise pattern this pattern was also in the glass panel in beautiful rainbow colors at the top of the original door i smiled as we walked up the path the agent opened the door I looked around and I couldn’t stop smiling i knew had found my home.   
The house had all the original fire places and mantel pieces the hall had the original stone tiles it was beautiful, upstairs in the bath room was an original claw foot bath and in the master bedroom upstairs there was a window seat I had always wanted a house with a window seat it would be lovely to sit there on a summers day and read my books I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to find this house it already felt like home I made an offer the next day and to my delight it was excepted it seemed to take ages to sign and swap contracts and soon the day came I was given the keys I was so excited to move in at last   
I took one last look around my tiny bedsit I had hated living here with my odd neighbors and people frightening me knocking on my door late at night and being in one small room and no matter how much i cleaned it still looked drab and dull   
I was not sorry to leave I walked out of my old home and never looked back I handed the keys back with a smile.  
I looked around my new house and smiled my gran had left me her furniture and it fitted perfectly in this house it was like being back in my grans house when I was a girl I had such happy memories of my gran she was such a wonderful women who I loved very much.  
Although it had taken a long time but now with my grans furniture arranged it finally felt like my home I sat on the sofa for a rest and smiled it was lovely having so much space to move around in and the house seemed to wrap itself around me making me feel welcome i had been working hard all day so after a soak in the bath I flopped on the sofa with a cup of tea as I channel flicked I settled down to watch a programme on the history channel my eyes grew heavy as I tried to watch my show I kept dozing off I yawned and switched off the TV. and headed off to bed, as I went into my bedroom I had forgotten to sort and put my books on the shelves of my book case i always had my books in my bedroom as I loved reading in bed they were still in piles on the floor and some had fallen over I sighed I was too tired to do anything about it now I would do it in the morning I placed my phone and watch on the bedside table and climbed into bed and snuggled down in to my soft pillows i quickly drifted off to sleep, I suddenly woke up in the night I reached for my phone to see the time only to find my books on the shelves and they had been sorted by author by my bed I thought I must be dreaming as I was not looking forward to sorting my books and putting them in the book case I decided i should go back to sleep and wake up and everything would be ok It took a while to settle down to sleep, the next morning I woke up and looked at book case my books were still neatly sorted on the shelves it wasn’t a dream i quickly showered and dressed and headed for work not having time to worry about it.   
I told my friend Lizzy at lunch what had happened she said maybe because the house was old it might be hunted we laughed about it then I started to think maybe it was possible the next few days I noticed things would be moved little things like my keys being moved and left by the door so I wouldn’t forget them I found my cup in the sink when I left it on the table my cloths which I left on the floor in my rush to work were picked up and folded and placed on the chair in my room and my bed made and one really cold day I came home from work to find the heat had been turned on and the table set for my meal and sometimes I felt I was not alone I wasn’t frightened it was like I was being looked after, I had been in my new home a month when I was awoken in the night by a noise downstairs.  
I sat up in bed my heart thumping against my chest was there an intruder in my house? I reached for my phone it wasn’t there I must of left it downstairs I tried to calm myself down then i picked up the baseball bat I kept by my bed and went quietly downstairs listening very carefully the bat shaking in my hand I griped it harder and continued walking downstairs in the hall way I stopped by the doorway to my living room where I saw a young man standing by the fireplace I held on tight to the bat and reached for the light switch then I really saw him, he was very handsome and tall with amazing cheek bones he almost had an angelic look maybe it was the light coming in through the gap in the curtains he had the most beautiful blue eyes like the star filled sky his ginger curled hair was slicked back, he had beautiful lips that formed a perfect cupid bow and a smile that would melt ice he looked very smart in his R.A.F uniform he looked at me then I realized I could see right through him   
“y y you’re a g g ghost”  
I stuttered even thou I wasn’t really frightened I was just startled I could see right through him he looked at me a cheeky grin on his face   
“What gave me a way?”  
He said in a soft baritone voice   
Ben looked at me   
“Well being able to see through you was a big clue and all the things going on I didn’t mind someone being here”  
“Thank you kind lady” he said with a wink of his eye and a cheeky grin   
He looked so handsome in his uniform  
I laughed i loosened my grip on the bat and placed it on a nearby chair i was not afraid of the stranger in my living room I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding   
I felt relived i smiled   
“Are you the one who has been looking after me?”   
“Yes I am” you looked like you needed some help your always seem to be in a hurry   
He smiled.  
I smiled back   
“I always seem to lose track of time”  
We both laughed  
“It’s lovely being looked after”  
I said I looked at him.   
“Who are you and why are you here in my home”  
He looked at me   
“Let me introduce myself my name is Ben”   
He said giving a little bow   
“I was born in this house upstairs in the front bedroom I grew up here with my parents and my sisters I have many happy memories living in this house I think that’s why I came back here this is my family home where I was loved I was still living here when I died”  
He said a sad look in his eyes   
I was not sure whether I should ask how he died   
Then Ben looked at me   
“You look like you have questions do you want to ask me something I don’t mind you can ask me anything”  
“How did you know I said?   
He just smiled?   
“You died in the war?  
A sad look came into his pale eyes   
“Yes I did we were on our way home from a mission in France when my plane was hit I didn’t stand a chance there wasn’t even time for me to eject from my plane it just blew up,   
I looked into his pale eyes   
“I am so sorry;   
“Don’t be it was a long time ago I was lucky to survive as long as I did being a fighter pilot it was a very precarious life every time we went on a mission we never knew if we would make it home “  
I looked into those amazing blue eyes   
“My names Rachel pleased to My names Rachel pleased to meet you Ben”   
We talked for a while Ben telling me stories about the house when he lived here I loved listening to his lovely baritone voice  
“I could listen to you talk for hours”   
He smiled   
“I have to be going I hope you didn’t mind me coming here do you I will stay away if that’s what you want”  
I looked at him   
“Of course not” I said   
“It’s as much your home as mine and I love your stories about the house it’s nice to know some of its history”  
He smiled   
“Thank you”  
He touched my cheek with his hand I shivered   
Ben moved back he looked up set   
“Am sorry” he said.   
Its ok I assured him “it was a bit colder than I imagined it would be,  
“I forget how cold my touch is am sorry” he said  
“That’s ok” I smiled   
Ben seemed familiar to me I kept feeling I had seen him before I didn’t know why, but I pushed the thought away we were born in different times there is no way I could know him.


	2. Chapter 2

We said our goodbyes then I went back to bed thinking about him I was sure I knew him from some were in the end I gave up and settled down to sleep   
Ben sat alone in the attic   
“It was good that someone was living in the house again I hated it being empty this was a family home it holds so many happy memories for me I found it strange that a single girl had moved in still she was very nice and she didn’t mind me being here maybe she had a boyfriend who had yet to move in and they may have a family it would be lovely having children in the house again she even reminded me of sally my girlfriend from long ago the only women I ever really loved.   
For the first time in ages my house felt like a home with Rachel here and I liked that.  
The next morning I was still thinking about Ben what his life had been like and how the house had looked when he lived here and why his presents made me feel I really belonged in this house”   
The next day on my way home from work I decided to find out anything I could about Ben i stopped off at the library on my way home from work to search on their local history site I typed his name into the search engine this lead me to their collection of the local newspapers I looked through there copies of the local paper from when Ben was a live and living in the house after a while I found a copy of the local paper from 1943 “LOCAL HERO KILLED ON THE WAY HOME FROM A MISSION IN FRANCE WHOLE TOWN IN MORNING” said the headline there was a photograph of a smiling Ben looking smart in his R.A.F uniform As i was reading the article i was almost crying as his mother said she was devastated at the loss of her only son who she adored Ben was only 21 when he died I felt so sad he died so young his future taken from him in such a tragic way i printed a copy to show him then I headed home.  
After a shower and my evening meal I went to my study to do some work and answer emails I was tapping away when I felt a cold chill and there by the side of my desk was Ben he looked so different he was wearing casual trousers and a jumper his hair fell in soft curls that asked to be touched and played with he looked so comfortable I smiled as a curl fell on to his forehead.   
“Hi you look very nice”   
Ben smiled “thank you”  
He looked at me in my pjs you   
“Erm look comfy”  
I giggled “I like to be warm and comfy on cold nights and there is nothing more comfy and warm than my pjs” I said   
Ben smiled  
“I won’t be a minute” I said as I tapped away, Ben looked at my laptop he looked puzzled   
“Is that some new kind of type writer he asked?   
I smiled “sort of it’s called a computer instead of typing on paper the words comes up on the screen and I can save them in the memory drive”  
Ben looked fascinated “what’s a memory drive”  
He asked   
“I will show how it works” I said with ben watching me I typed Ben loves to fly  
He looked at his name as it appeared on the screen when he read what I had written he smiled   
“That’s amazing and puzzling “he said looking at the lap top he looked around the back I watched him very amused   
He looked at me  
“What happens now” he asked  
I looked at ben “The computer has a sort of electronic brain”  
Ben frowned   
“The computer asks if I want to save or print my work”  
“Where do you put the paper he” said.   
I smiled   
“The computer is connected to my printer”  
I pointed at my printer “you put the paper in here” I said loading some paper to show how it worked   
Ben watched fascinated   
I pressed print on my laptop and waited for the printer to start   
I printed the paper with the line I had written for ben he watched as the paper appeared out of the printer I lifted it out of the tray and showed it to a wide eyed ben   
“Wow that’s amazing” he said smiling “there are so many modern things I don’t understand”  
I finished on the lap top and closed it down Ben watched in wonder   
I stood up and walked to the sofa and sat down Ben followed me   
“I have something to show you” I said he sat down beside me I showed him the article from the paper, his face softened as he was reading about his mother “she didn’t want me to go she pleaded with me to stay at the bank she didn’t want to lose her only son she knew I would be safe at the bank. I later found out the bank was bombed to and some people were killed I might have died there, but I wanted to join up like my friends” when he finished reading he looked so sad “thank you for showing me that i didn’t know I was a local hero” he said with a sad smile   
“I don’t find that hard to believe at all “I said touching his face the coldness of him didn’t bother me anymore I looked at Ben   
“Can I ask you a question?”  
“Yes he replied   
“What was the house like when you lived here with your family?  
“Well it was a traditional family home it was always full of laughter and filled with love I had 2 older sisters Margaret and Isabel they were nice to me but sometimes they chased me or force me to sit at their tea parties with their dolls he pulled a face I think they rather have liked another sister rather than a baby brother when I was a baby they liked to play with me and help mum feed me it was like having a living baby doll to them but as a grew up I was not so interesting anymore they would leave me alone or force me to play their games I hated skipping he said with a scowl “I laughed “I would love to have seen that just for the look on your face it must have been hilarious you poor thing”  
“Very funny” he said   
“Although I am a very good skipper” he smirked   
“Other times we would tease each other and on wet days when we couldn’t go out we ran round the house playing chase they were taller than me then so I was easy to catch we must have driven mum up the wall on those days.  
“this room we had big sofa and my dad’s chair and a display cabinet with mothers treasured things and we were not allowed to go near it, telling us we couldn’t go near it made us children want to sneak a look to see what all the fuss was about and to take a look at what we were not a allowed to see and when we did manage to sneak in and take a look we were confused it was just boring china” he laughed   
“The front room was the parlor the door was kept closed it was only used for visitors and at Christmas time we children called it the posh room when we were in there we had to behave and be quite and sit still as you can imagine we didn’t like that much.  
“We had a piano in here mum would play and we would sit around and sing songs it was nice having us all together as a family it made me realize when I was older how precious those times where”  
“”my favorite time was winter I would play in the snow as a boy with my friends making a snowman and having snow ball fights sledging down the hill having fun playing out till I was freezing cold till my hands and face were numb then come home and sit by the fire and get warm feeling my skin tingling as I started to warm up and my mum brining me coco as I sat by the fire I have always loved a coal fire there was always a race with us kids for the best spot I loved watching my dad roast chestnuts on a shovel in the fire at Halloween it was great watching them pop and helping my mum in the mornings getting the fire ready” he seemed to drift off in his own world   
“Hey Ben are you still there”  
He looked at me   
“Sorry he said I love this house and I loved growing up here I would like to show you something”  
I followed him to the kitchen door way he pointed to the frame just visible were small notches different distances apart there was a name by each notch that was really hard to see I looked closer and saw bens name very faint I looked up at him   
He smiled “that’s where my dad marked how tall I was growing as I got older “   
I smiled “that is so sweet I looked at the notches noting bens height I looked at the notch that was close to my height I turned to Ben wow you really shot up when you were 13years old almost my height”   
Ben grinned   
“well my dad was over 6 foot so I wasn’t going to be small was I”  
we both laughed Ben looked at the door frame “It was things like this that made it a family home he said my sisters height was marked on their bedroom door and I grew up to be the tallest of us it been a long time since I saw my sisters.  
He looked at me   
“what drew you to this house.  
“Well I was fed up in my very small shabby bedsit so I decided to do something about it I started to save up for a good deposit my savings started to grow and then with the money gran left me I was able to buy a house so i started looking for my new home i had been looking for ages looking at different houses most were new build they were lovely houses but they didn’t appeal to me they didn’t have any character they were cold and unfeeling i knew what I was looking for I wanted an older house a house with charm and history like my grans house that’s the kind of house i wanted were i would feel at home then at the end of a long day looking at more houses i felt like giving up then the estate agent brought me here and even before I came inside I knew this was the house I had been looking for” I started to feel tearful  
“Are you ok Ben asked?   
“I looked at him I loved my gran so much and I still miss her a lot I wiped my eyes   
Am sorry “I said to ben   
“Hey that’s ok you don’t need to apologize” “Anyway when I walked inside it felt like home.  
He smiled “I am glad you choose my home to live in you have brought life to this house you have made it feel like a home again.  
“I smiled so am i said.   
Ben started looking around my living room he stopped and looked at the framed photographs of my family I had on my side board he stopped in front of a photograph of my gran when she was a young girl he looked at   
I looked at photograph he pointed at  
“That’s my gran when she was around my age why do ask” I looked at Ben   
He looked startled “that’s my girlfriend sally” he looked at me   
I was shocked “sally was my grans name I said   
He looked at me “so my sally was your grandmother”  
I nodded “I can’t believe you knew my gran” I said excitedly   
“I was engaged to sally”  
as I calmed down I remembered something grans old box of photographs that she never put in an album but still kept as they were special to her I ran up to my room and after some searching I found the box I sat on the sofa and started looking through the photographs of my mum and uncle when they were younger and other family members and gran with her friends when they were younger after a while i found what i was looking for there were two photographs one was of a couple my gran and Ben looking happy on a day out and one of Ben in his R.A.F uniform looking so proud I showed them to Ben   
“She kept my photographs he smiled looking at the photograph of my gran and him.  
“I remember when this was taken we went to Margate for the day when I was home on leave we had such a good time messing about on the beach and writing I love you in the sand going to the fair having a kiss in the tunnel of love and sally clinging on to me and screaming on the roller coaster and just walking along holding hands then we saw this chap taking pictures he asked if we would like one and we of course said yes so he took our picture then he took down sallies address when it arrived she was so excited she wrote to me and couldn’t wait to show me our picture she said I looked so handsome he smiled I can’t believe she kept them all those years”  
“She never parted with them I said   
Ben took the one of him in his uniform and turned it over to show me what was written on the back there in faded writing was a message to my Nan  
Although we are apart your always in my heart to my Sally all my love your Ben xxx   
“That’s so sweet”  
“I often wondered what happened to sally I am glad she had a good life” I looked at the one of my gran and Ben she said “you were very special to her she wanted to frame them but she didn’t want to upset my granddad.  
“You look so happy I said.  
Ben smiled “we were we were so in love i proposed the last time I came home on leave and we were going to get married when I had my extended leave we could arrange our wedding and honeymoon”  
“That’s so sad Ben”  
He smiled a sad smile “in war time these things happen there is nothing you can do about it he said   
“You know i had forgotten about grans box.  
When I was younger she showed me these photographs I asked who you were she would smile and she told me you were someone she loved very much and it broke her heart when you were killed.  
Ben looked sad   
“I loved her very much to I had never loved any girl like I loved my sally she was very special to me when we first met I knew she was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with I couldn’t wait to make her my wife and watch her carrying our child”  
“And you were very special to her to she always looked sad when she talked about you I could see she cared a great deal for you and she said when you when you were killed a bit of her died too”  
Ben smiled “she said that”  
“Yes she did” I smiled   
“Oh I just remembered there’s something else wait here” I ran back up the stairs and back to my bedroom I reached for grans jewelry box it was filled with her broches and necklaces and some rings and bracelets it didn’t take long to find what I was looking for a small gold Claddagh ring with an amethyst heart shape stone with the ring in my hand I headed downstairs back to Ben I stood before him and opened my hand Ben looked at the ring his hand flew to his mouth after a while he found his voice.


	3. Chapter 3

That’s the ring I gave to sally as a commitment to her and our love I told her the next ring I slipped on her finger would be a wedding ring I can’t believe she kept it all these years”  
“My gran told me she always wore that ring on her wedding finger even after you died when she met my granddad she moved it to her right hand but she wouldn’t remove it for anyone it was all she had left of you and I think my grandad knew how special it was to her”  
“I can’t believe she kept my ring I gave it to her to show my love for here I slipped it on her finger and said I give you my heart and crown it with my love and when I was a way she only had to look at it to know how much I loved her I remember she had tears in her eyes and I hugged her she told me she loved me and she would never love anyone like she loved me   
He smiled that tiny ring meant a lot to us he looked at the small gold ring with its amethyst heart shape stone”   
I looked at Ben “would you mind if I wore this ring”  
Ben smiled “of course not it’s so sweet that my sallies granddaughter wants to wear her ring  
A thought came to me looking at grans ring   
I looked at Ben maybe that’s why I was drawn to this house because you loved my gran and when I first saw you I had a feeling I knew you even thou that couldn’t be possible”  
“she always showed me these pictures when she brought her box down when I stayed with her I loved her stories about the photographs and we would sit together looking through the box her telling me who the people were”  
“You were drawn by the love I still have for sally I kind of like that he” said smiling  
Ben looked at me “is sally still alive he asked.  
“No am afraid my gran died 2 years ago it was quite sudden she was always very fit and well and looked after herself she suddenly became ill and she went downhill quickly she died so suddenly it was such a shock to us all the last time I went to see her she knew she was dying and she gave me this ring and told me she loved me and wanted to give her special photograph box and jewelry box to me.   
She loved her family and always took care of us and god help anyone who hurt her grandchildren she always stood up for us”  
Ben laughed “you don’t have to tell me that if another girl looked at me she would look at them her hand squeezing mine and say keep your eyes off him he’s my boyfriend i was her man and she was my lady”  
“Do you think she is up there smiling down at her granddaughter and her beau?   
He smiled “that is a lovely thought”  
“How come you never saw my grans photograph before now I said?  
“I was too busy looking after someone he smiled.   
“I blushed am sorry for being such hard work”  
“That’s ok he said it wasn’t hard work looking after you and you’re very kind putting up with me and i appreciate what you have done for me”  
That made me smile “your welcome I said.   
“What was my gran like when she was young I asked?  
Ben smiled “she was beautiful and she loved life she was sweet and kind always willing to help anyone and she loved her family very much”  
“She was very beautiful and when I looked at her my heart skipped a beat I was very proud to have her as my girlfriend and more than anything I wanted her to be my wife, she loved to go dancing and I loved holding her in my arms during the slow dances and we would go to the pictures and sit on the back row we never saw much of the film he giggled but it was lovely being with her other times we would snuggle on the sofa in her parent’s parlor we didn’t need words just holding each other was enough”  
“She had a big heart and she made me feel like the luckiest man in the world we loved each other very much and I would do anything for her and I hated being a part from her I hated the war for doing that to us I just wanted to be with my sally”  
I looked at Ben “did you and gran ever you know I said giving him a wink”  
Ben tried to looked shocked “I am a gentleman he said i would never compromise a ladies honor and I am not the kind of man to kiss and tell”  
I looked into his eyes he looked at me with a smirk   
“You mean you and my gran did it I said shocked my hands covering my blushing face   
He looked at me   
“Am only human and she was one hot women we tried to be careful I would use a French letter which you could wash and use again I think they call them condoms now Ben hid his face I can’t believe I am having this conversation with my girlfriends granddaughter”  
I took pity on him “am sorry Ben I didn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, who would have though my gran was that type of girl I always though you waited till you got married before having relations in those days”  
Ben laughed “you sound so old fashioned he said we were not so innocent you have to realize we though each day would be are last so we did things you wouldn’t normally do before the war people had long engagements before they married but with war and not knowing if your loved one may be killed in battle people married quickly and lived life to the full “  
Ben smirked “and the feelings I felt when were intimate were amazing that’s one thing I do miss”  
I went to hit Ben on the shoulder my hand going right through him  
He laughed   
“Please stop I don’t want images of you and my gran having sex”.  
He laughs again and I blushed   
He looked at me “you have gone a lovely shade of red”  
“Am not surprised I said I have learnt things I shouldn’t really know about my gran and you  
Ben looked at me we were in love it’s a natural thing to do we wanted to have children one day it was fun practicing” he smirked   
“Ben please I really don’t need to know that   
I looked at grans ring who would have thought my gran was a good time girl”   
“She wasn’t really a good time girl he said she was a women in love “  
“That’s so sweet” ben   
I looked at the photograph of ben in his uniform I looked at ben  
“When she showed me your picture i always thought you were very handsome in your uniform like a handsome prince in my story books”  
Ben laugh   
“I was only 8 years old you know”  
“Still thank you kind lady and i am kind of handsome”  
He said with smug smile   
“You cheeky bugger” he just laughed   
“I can tell you loved my gran very much am glad i wish I could found a love like that but i have been hurt too badly to look at the moment”  
He touched my cheek “never give up looking Rachel”   
I nodded “I will try”  
We chatted for a while then Ben sighed “i better be going it’s late and you need to be up for work in the morning it was lovely talking about my sally”!  
“It was nice hearing stories about my gran will you come back tomorrow” I asked  
“If you would like me to”  
“Of course i would i love your visits and were practically family and this house is as much yours as it is mine”  
He smiled “i like coming to see my Sallies girl see you soon goodnight sweet dreams”   
“See you soon” Ben.  
The next day was my day off so I started with a nice lie in it was lovely snuggling in my bed and not rushing around like I did most mornings I was thinking what I could do with my day off I thought of lots of different ideas I decided to clear the last of the boxes that were still sitting around since I moved in I collected them together and headed for the attic I pulled the ladder down and climbed up I put the boxes down and decided to look around there wasn’t anything in the attic and I noticed something in the far corner in the corner i found a box covered in dust I picked the box up and took it downstairs I carried the it to the living room and sat on the sofa and placed the box next to me and carefully opened it inside were baby clothes for a boy they were beautiful there were romper suites and little shirts with matching pants and little matinee coats I held them close as I lifted out some hats and booties and a lovely handmade shawl I found photograph album it was very old and dusty I opened the album carefully.


	4. Chapter 4

inside their pictures of a beautiful baby boy a few months old a few pages along the same baby with a toothy smile as I turned over the page there were pictures of a cheeky toddler it was lovely looking at pictures of the baby growing into a school boy looking excited for his first at school and a young boy looking smart in his uniform ready to go to grammar school on the next page a handsome young man ready for university who looked familiar on the very last page was a picture of Ben in his uniform smiling up at me I didn’t know I was looking at Ben as a child I looked at the baby cloths it didn’t seem possible for Ben to have been small enough to fit in these tiny baby cloths he looked so cute.  
As I was deciding what to do next i smiled as the best idea came to me i knew what i was going to do I decided I would give Ben a surprise first I called a sweep to check the fire place and chimney he came over with his tools he spent an hour as he checked everything over with a fine toothcomb he told me it was ok for me to go ahead so after he left i had breakfast and then got ready and I headed off to my local DIY store to buy some coal I bought two bags and some fire lighters also some kindling and coal scuttle and fire set i paid for my purchases then I headed home once I was there I left my shopping in the living room then I had my lunch I laid everything I needed by the fire place then I sat down and tried to remember how my gran made her fire I had watched her so many times growing up I started with the coal and then some kindling and a fire lighter  
After checking to see if everything looked ok I lit the fire and as it started to smoke I used a newspaper to draw it up and to my surprise it started to burn and crackle like I remembered I thought it might be a while trying to light it I was quite proud of myself for getting it right first time and I knew gran would be to as she was the one who showed how to lay a fire   
The smell of fire lighters always reminded me of gran s house she kept them in her cupboard under the stairs   
By the time i cleaned up it was time for my evening meal afterwards i washed up i had a shower and changed into my pjs and sat by the fire and waited for Ben i suddenly remembered something i wanted to show him i walked to the window ledge I picked up a photograph from behind the curtains then i put it by the sofa and sat down   
sitting by the fire reminded me of happy times with my gran when i was a little girl were we would toast bread on toasting forks by the fire and she would tell me stories about my mum when she was a little girl we would be in fits of giggles then we would toast the bred lovely and brown and spread it with real butter toast has never tasted so good   
I sighed she would have loved this house I know she would i do miss my gran so much having grans furniture in my house made her feel close to me  
Later when Ben came to me the first thing he noticed was the fire   
He smiled “you lit a fire he said his eyes bright   
Yes i did and I am quite proud of myself “  
“This is wonderful thank you so much it’s been such a long time since there was a fire crackling in here it brings back such happy memories of my sisters and I fighting to get the best place by the fire in the winter” he laughed  
“Your welcome” i smiled,   
I patted the sofa for ben to sit down he sat beside me i smiled   
He looked at me “You’re up to something Rachel”   
I lifted the box up and put it between us and I slowly opened as I lifted the baby cloths carefully out of the box I looked at ben   
“Those were mine he smiled where did you find them”  
“I found them in the attic when I took some boxes up there that’s not all that was in here” I picked up the album and sowed ben the first page   
Ben smiled  
“My baby photos” he said  
Then I turned a page and there was a naked ben on a rug showing his little bum  
“Oh my god am naked” he said embarrassed he covered his face and started laughing   
I looked at the photograph “You do have a cute little butt”  
“I still do “he said with a smirk   
“Behave you”  
I said looking at Ben we both burst into fits of giggles   
Ben looked at the album   
“My sisters Margaret and Isabel must have missed this box when they cleared the house out after mum died she died 5 months after my dad.  
I watched them packing all mums things away it was really strange seeing them so much older but I could still see those young girls who chased me around the house and garden   
When they were packing away the two framed pictures of me they were a bit tearful saying how much they loved me and they had never forgotten there baby brother and how much they still missed me and wondered how I would look now it made me quite tearful “  
“That is so lovely” Ben   
Ben smiled we sat quietly for awhile lost in thought then Ben looked at me   
“It’s so nice sitting by the fire, when i a child I would sit by the fire and look for fire monsters”  
“That made me laughs as I used to do that when i was in my grans house when I was little   
She loved her fire even when they put central heating in her home she wouldn’t let them take her fire.  
Ben laughed   
“I can believe that she was one hell of women”  
I smiled “that was my gran”   
I suddenly remembered the photograph i removed it from its hiding place and showed it to Ben   
“This was taken not long before she died”   
I looked at the picture of gran she was still beautiful her hair was still thick and long it was still amazing even thou it was pure white and she still had her lovely cheery smile and her beautiful brown eyes still shined brightly   
He looked at the photograph and smiled  
“She hasn’t changed she’s still as a beautiful as I remember still my girl”   
He looked at me   
“We wanted to grow old together”  
“It’s so sad that you missed out on so much”   
I gently touched bens cheek  
He looked at me with sadness in his eyes  
“Sally and i were not meant to be your granddad was a lucky man to have her”   
He looked at the picture once more he traced grans face with his finger love shining in his eyes he looked at me   
“Thank you”   
He said   
Ben stayed later than he normally did that night he thanked me again for the fire and for showing him grans photo and for finding the album and baby cloths before he left.  
It was lovely and cozy having an open fire i decided I would do it more often on these cold winter nights  
I went to bed I couldn’t stop my mind drifting to Ben why was I so drawn to him could I see in him what my gran loved about him he was easy to talk to and so handsome   
The next day during my lunch hour I did some research on bens squadron it was so sad how many young men died there was a group photograph of young men smiling not knowing if they would survive there next mission and yet they looked so happy and carefree I found ben quite easily on the photograph grinning   
I found bens name among the crew list as i was reading i started to cry he was on his last mission before being taken off active service for a while how could life be so cruel to him and gran I printed out the information and put it in my bag to show him later  
When i arrived home Ben was waiting for me,  
“Hey why so sad”   
He looked concerned   
I took the paper out of my bag then i showed him what I had printed out   
he sighed “we all look so young so happy i remember the fun times we had going to the pub for a drink and going to the dance hall having so much fun for a while we would forget there was war on”   
I showed Ben the section I highlighted about him  
He read the few lines when he finished he looked at me a pained look in his eyes  
“Did you know about this I asked?  
he smiled a small sad smile and nodded, “I was so excited everyone saying how lucky I was one more mission then I could come home spend time with my family and my friends at the bank and most importantly marry my sally the Germans had other ideas and blew my plane up I didn’t stand a chance and the sad thing was I was so close to home” he sighed


	5. Chapter 5

I put my arms around him his coldness enveloped me “i wish I had known you then I said softly  
He smiled then he giggled   
“What’s so funny?  
“I was just thinking if you had been around then you would be a little grey haired wrinkly old lady”   
“Ha ha very funny”   
I said trying to give him a stern look before bursting into fits of giggles   
“Anyway if we met then you would be a grey haired old man”   
Ben smiled   
“But being a man I would look good going grey I would be distinguished”   
“You cheeky bugger your saying I would be old and grey and wrinkly and you would be distinguished”   
He grinned smugly and nodded   
“I don’t know why I put up with you”   
He touched my cheek   
“Because you like me”   
“Yes sadly i do i said shaking my head   
Ben smiled  
“Can i ask you something?   
He looked at me  
“sure you can”   
“How did you spend your down time on the air base?   
He smiled as we sat down on the sofa?   
“well during the day when we were on active duty we would stay on the base just sitting around we would read maybe play cricket or football or write letters home or just relax listening to the radio then in the evening we would go to the naffe and have something to eat and drink then head into town we would go to the local pub after a couple of paints we would head to the dance hall and find some lovely ladies to dance with he said he wiggled his eye brows”   
I giggled “last of the red hot lovers were you”   
This made us laugh after we calmed down   
He looked at me   
“I would stand at the bar with a pint while my mates got off with girls I had my sally I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her she meant the world to me”   
“That’s so sweet I said   
“My sally was someone very special she lived quite far from the base we would only see each other when I had a couple of days leave and I could come home”   
“Did you like working in the bank before the war?  
“Yes i was an assistant bank manager in are local branch in the high street”   
“What was it like I asked?   
“It was quite interesting working in a bank helping people checking the day’s books making sure they added up counting the cash flow at the end of the day before it went in the safe and opening saving accounts making sure everything was running smoothly I was very good at math’s and I was good working with figures.   
“I was in a reserved occupation I didn’t need to join up like my friends did but I wanted to do my duty and I died doing it”  
“Oh Ben that’s so sad.  
“It was what I wanted to do”   
“before the war I use to do armature theatre I would have loved to be an actor a leading man like Cary Grant or an action hero like John Wayne” ben suddenly stood up he held out his arm like he was holding an invisible skull and in his lovely baritone voice he started to speak to be or not to be that’s is the question weather is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrages fortune   
I was mesmerized by bens acting he held me in a trance he completed the whole scene and bowed   
“Bravo that was amazing”  
Ben smiled shyly “you really think so”   
“I do your a very talented man”   
“Thank you that’s nice of you to say so”  
Ben blushed   
“I am just telling the truth”   
He smiled   
I looked at him what you liked to do when you were not working in the bank and not acting   
I liked to read and go camping with my friends and swimming I liked going for rides on my bike but most importantly what I loved most was of all was being with my sally taking her out to the flicks or dancing just being with her was a joy whatever we decided to do we would go for fish and chips after I knew how to treat a lady”   
“You sure did I giggled   
Ben smiled “i loved taking her on day trips and she always got so excited I just loved being with her it was so hard leaving her when I had to get back to the base we didn’t want to let go of each other both of us in tears me promising I would see her again soon and she would tell me to keep safe and come home to her”   
Ben sighed his eye lases wet with tears  
I looked at him you ok?  
He nodded   
“Let’s not talk about sad things anymore   
One of my favorite things to do was dancing I loved to dance” he suddenly stood up and started to dance around the room with an invisible partner he finished with a twirl   
“Tada he said then bowed   
I stood up and clapped bravo   
“Thank you kind lady”  
“Well it’s getting late I better go”  
“It’s been so interesting learning about your life.  
“Do you have to go I said giving him my best puppy dog eyes?   
“Yes I do he said using his stern voice before giggling I will see you tomorrow sweet dreams he said then he was gone.  
I went up to bed i looked forward to bens visits I hadn’t been in a relationship for a while I had been badly hurt by someone I was in love with who I thought loved me so I was weary of men at the moment my heart was still broken but it was nice being with Ben and I looked forward to our chats and spending time together it was almost like having a boyfriend.  
Reading the local paper i saw there was going to a car boot sale the next day I decided to have an early night so I could get up early for the sale I loved looking around car boots so after I finished my tea I went up to bed and set my alarm and settled down to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

when my alarm rang i felt I had only just dropped off to sleep I yawned and stretched after a quick shower I went down to breakfast then I headed to the car boot there was not many people around when i arrived I found a lovely 1940s lamp for my living room I also found some beautiful table cloths and vintage dresses and two beautiful vases I was just about to head for home when I spotted an upright piano I smiled I walked over to the seller   
“How much for the piano”   
“£40.00 miss and it has recently be tuned”   
I couldn’t resist  
“I will take it if you can you deliver”   
“Yes I just need your address”  
So I gave him my address and we arranged a time   
I couldn’t wait for it to arrive when it did I gave it pride of place in my living room I polished it till it gleamed then after my meal I sat down I hadn’t played for a while so i started with my scales then after my evening meal I was tired so I headed for bed   
My working day seemed to drag I just wanted to get home to play my piano   
I was having lunch with my friend Lizzy.  
“Hey Rachel me and the girls are hitting the town to night please say yes it’s been ages since you came out with us I know Kev hurt you badly but it’s time to move on don’t let him do this to you don’t let him ruin your life and we miss having a good time with you”   
I was about to say yes before I could answer i thought of Ben so i lied am feeling a bit under the weather may be next time I felt awful lying to her   
“Lizzy sighed ok if you’re sure “  
I nodded   
I was glad when it was time to go home I though back to Lizzy asking me to join her on the girl’s night out and how much she and the girls missed going out with me and why I lied was I having feelings for Ben?   
Was that even possible to have feelings for him I couldn’t wait to get home i quickly had my dinner then I showered and changed into my pjs and sat down at the piano to practice and wait for Ben when he arrived I burst into fits of giggles he was wearing pjs just like my dad used to wear they were cotton with blue and white strips that tied at the waist he looked cute in them and his old type slippers like my dad had he waited for me to calm down,   
“You always look comfy and warm in your pajamas I thought i would join you what do you think”  
He said giving me a twirl   
“You look very comfy and very handsome”  
“Why thank you kind lady he said then he noticed the piano “oh my god when did you get this”   
“I bought it at a car boot sale yesterday”  
Ben looked confused “what is a car boot sale?   
“Well people take things they no longer want and sell them from their car boot and some people bring folding tables” ben sat down by me   
“What would you like me to play?  
Ben smiled “can you play a Nightingale sang in Barkley Square”  
I nodded Ben and I sat for hours while I played he even sang along to some of the songs   
“Thank you such much Rachel it makes the house feel more like the home I knew”   
“My pleasure Ben”   
I looked away from him looking at my hands   
“Hey are you ok?  
I turned to look at Ben I told him my friends asked me to go out with them and how I nearly said yes  
And that I lied saying I was ill, Ben was quite surprised   
“There your friends you would have had fun why didn’t you go?   
“Because I wanted to be with you”   
He smiled “that’s very sweet you but you don’t have to do that you should have gone out with your friends, promise me you will go next time next time they ask”  
I sighed “I promise I know I should have said yes but I like being with you”,   
He gently touched my cheek and smiled; “now you asked me about my life so tell me about your life”  
“I smiled well I was born and grew up not far from here I went to an all-girls school my parents didn’t want me distracted by boys I grinned it didn’t work I still met boys from the local school and i had boyfriends I use to sneak out and meet then for dates I had a good time then I would go home and sneak back into my room my parents didn’t know I had boyfriends or what I did with them I winked”   
Ben smiled   
“What a naughty girl you were”   
I just smiled smugly “I did well at school I passed my exams I had good grades after school I decided to study law I went to college I studied legal practices then i did a degree in law in university I did so well I could of gone on to be a barrister but I didn’t want to be in university for another 3 years I wanted to be working earning my own money so now I work as a legal secretary in a lawyer’s office”   
“Do you like your job he asked?


	7. Chapter 7

“Yes it’s interesting no two days are the same and its nice helping people my boss handles a lot of pro bono work “  
“Ben looked puzzled? What’s pro bono?  
I smiled he looked so cute   
“What that means is he takes a lot of cases for free to help people in need he can claim a little money from the government for expenses”   
“He sounds like a good man”  
“He is I said I have made a lot of friends and we love going out on the town together”   
“I am glad you have a good life but don’t change it for me am not worth it”   
Before I could say anything he smiled he gently touched my cheek.  
“I think I have known you long enough I want to show you something very special to me he stood up and I followed him we walked upstairs Ben stopped at the small back bedroom I was using for storage he turned to me this was my room since I was a baby my bed was here by the window and I had a small bedside table and over there on the far wall was my cupboard for my cloths and on the wall my drawings I loved to draw as a child” I smiled and opened the door I tried to imagine the room how Ben described it his little bed and cupboard his walls covered in his drawings he pointed to the far right corner “lift the carpet up there please”  
I did as he asked underneath the carpet was a loose floor board I removed the loose plank in side was an old sweet tin and written in childish writing were the words bens treasure , He smiled when he saw the tin i looked up at him “what’s inside I said Ben looked down at me   
“Open it and see”  
His eyes followed me as I sat down on the carpet and carefully opened the tin like the hope diamond was nestled in there I was fascinated Ben grinned at the contents inside  
There was 3 colorful marbles an old tin solider and some cigarette cards and a little tin bus I laid the contents gently on the carpet then I noticed at the bottom of the tin was a piece of folded paper I carefully unfolded the paper it was a child’s drawing of a car there was a gold star in the corner you could still see a bit of gold I smiled and looked at Ben “so this is your treasure”  
He laughed a lovely baritone laugh “well they were a treasure when I was ten he pointed to the cards they were the hardest cards to get and I won those marbles from my best friend in tough game of marbles he said with a serious face and that drawing won me a competition in junior school my teacher Mrs. Walters was quite complementary about my drawing in class and the solider was an old tin toy of my dad’s that I loved to play with and my bus was my favorite toy”   
I giggled “I bow before you in shame i said   
He laughed   
“I carefully put everything back in the tin I looked up at Ben do you want me to put it back”  
He smiled at me “I know it’s not much but you can keep it if you want to”   
I couldn’t believe Ben was giving me his treasure I was so happy that he would give me something that so special to him I told him i would love it more than anything and I will take special care of it I said that made him smile   
He touched my hair “you know you’re very beautiful just like sally I came to see you that first night because you reminded me of her I should have realized you were related to my sally”   
“You are a beautiful girl you shouldn’t stay cooped up in this”   
“You should be out with your friends and falling in love not spending time with a dead man”  
I sighed “I wish you wouldn’t say that your more than that to me your my friend and I love spending time with you, you tell me such interesting things and amazing stories about this house we share”   
He sighed “you should think about going out with your friends”   
“I will think about it ok he smiled.  
I bought film for us to watch I took ages choosing the perfect film for Ben I took the DVD out of the box it was an old gangster movie with Jimmy Cagney and Pat O’Brian   
Ben looked at the disc what’s that he asked  
“This is the film were going to watch”   
He was confused “how can there be a film on that he pointed to the disc   
“That was confusing enough he pointed to the TV when a family moved in with one I never though you would be able to watch a film on a box in your home.”   
“How do we watch it and how does it work he asked looking puzzled”   
“I will show you I switched the TV on then I pointed to the DVD player this is a DVD player we put this disc in here i put the disc into the player”  
Ben watched fascinated when the film started he smiled “who would have thought that a big movie would fit on that small disc”   
We sat together I got myself some popcorn and we settled down to watch the film Ben loved it2 I haven’t seen this film for ages I remember going to the Astoria to watch it with my friends we were so excited when we came out of the pictures we were all doing Jimmy Cagney impressions he laughed.  
“Am glad you approve I said I hadn’t been sure what film I should pick”  
At some point I drifted off to sleep and when I woke up I was covered in a blanket I smiled I knew Ben had covered me to keep me warm i got up and dressed for work, while I was working on Friday Lizzy came over to have lunch with me and once again asked me to go out with her and the girls and I said yes  
Lizzy was so excited   
“It’s going to be like old times guys better watch out our Rachel’s about”  
“You make me sound like a man eater we both laughed   
Lizzy smiled “am so glad you’re coming out with us”   
We arranged to meet up at the local pub that night when I got home I started to get excited I quickly had my dinner then I began to get ready i showered and picked out my favorite blue dress and I took my time doing my makeup and fixing my hair then I put on my favorite heels I grabbed my bag I took one last look in the mirror as i rushed out the door to meet the girls i didn’t see Ben standing by the window or hear him whisper “you look so beautiful.   
“As I watched Rachel dash off for to meet her friends I sighed she did look beautiful and so happy she is so different from the girls I knew she was so easy to talk to the girls in my time would just look at you and nod their head from time to time not really listening to what you said with her I could talk about anything I love are talks I must watch myself I can’t have feelings for her it would be bad for both of us. I hope she has a good time with her friends she really needs to get out and have a social life she is too sweet and beautiful to be on her own   
She would soon be at the pub meeting her friends”   
The excitement seemed to leave me as I entered the pub the girls seemed excited to see me i felt distanced from then and I didn’t understand Why, we had a few drinks I thought I might feel better when we hit the club as I loved dancing but I felt worse i was usually the first on the dance floor pulling my friends up to dance I enjoyed clubbing with girls but now I just wanted to go home what was wrong with me this is not me i ignored the men wanting to buy me drinks and I didn’t want them trying to get me up to dance and trying to feel me up when all i wanted to be left alone Lizzy sat down beside me   
“Are you all right" she smiled and touched my hand i smiled “I didn’t realize it showed i said?   
Lizzy looked at me “Rachel when we go out you’re usually the life and soul of the party , now you look as thou you would rather be any were than here I hate what Kev has done to you”  
I sighed am sorry Liz I don’t know what’s wrong with me,   
“hey don,t worry maybe it’s a bit early to drag you out its clear you’re not ready she said  
“I smiled maybe your right I am going to call it a night Liz thanks for being so understandings see you at work on Monday”   
“Ok she said call me over the weekend let me know you’re alright"   
I smiled i will.  
I managed to grab a taxi outside the club I leaned back in my seat and thought to myself what the hell is wrong this wasn’t me I loved going out with the girls and I loved dancing I sighed as I headed home,   
Once home I hung my coat up and dropped my bag on the floor I felt a cold chill and there was Ben sitting on the sofa,  
“Your back early he looked puzzled”   
I sighed “I wasn’t having a good time so I came home”


	8. Chapter 8

Ben looked at me his head tilted to one side, “did you even try,”   
“Yes I did I almost shouted   
“Hey calm down”   
“Am sorry ben”  
“That’s ok tell me all about it”  
“Well I was so excited going out with the girls but once we met up I just felt uncomfortable I thought I might feel better when we headed for the club but it was all men wanting to buy me drinks to get me drunk and wanting to touch me up on the dance floor I am still a bit weary of men since I had my heart broken so it was not my idea of a fun night out”   
Ben looked angry “that’s not way to treat a lady he said   
I could see the hurt in his eyes and “  
that’s no way for a gentleman to act with a lady”   
I smiled “that’s so sweet of you to defend my honor you are a real gentleman” i turned and looked at Ben   
“before you say anything I am spending the rest of weekend at home with you”  
Ben put his hands up in mock surrender i giggled Ben had loads of silly stories and I soon felt better.  
I enjoyed his company later when I had changed into my pjs I sat next to Ben he looked at me   
“penny for your thoughts I said  
He smiled “I was just wondering why a beautiful lady like you hasn’t got a boyfriend till you told me about having your heart broken”   
I sighed Ben touched my hand “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to”  
“No its ok I had a bad break up with my last boyfriend Kev he cheated on me with someone younger and pretty and slimmer I came home from work early to find him in our bed with her with that smirk on her face I was devastated I couldn’t understand what I did wrong I thought we were good together”   
Ben looked at me “am sure you didn’t do anything wrong his hand brushed my cheek he must of been mad to cheat on someone as beautiful and special as you”  
Blushing I whispered “thank you”   
“My pleasure he smiled.  
The next day I had bens drawing and the cards framed i found a place for it on my bedroom wall were I could see it from my bed I would picture little Ben his face full of concentration and his tongue poking out, I kept the marbles in a small silver box with a glass lid and the solider stood proud on my bedside table in a glass case along with the bus it made me feel close to Ben I couldn’t stop thinking about him saying I was beautiful, an special.  
The next morning i woke up to find him sitting on my bed   
He smiled “morning Rachel”  
I stretched “morning Ben”   
“Thank you it was very kind of you”   
“What for i asked   
Still half a sleep he smiled and he looked up at the picture on the wall i smiled   
“it deserves to be seen i said   
“It’s hardly a work of art it was kind of you to gave it to me and hey you won a competition with that drawing”  
“I can still remember my prize”  
“If you don’t mind me asking what was it”   
“It was a boy’s adventure book filled with lots of exciting stories” he smiled shyly thank you   
I smiled “it was my pleasure”   
We spent the rest of the day on the sofa Ben had loads of fascinating stories some were funny and had me in stitches some were very sad I learnt so much about the house he showed the places he would hide when he was called for a bath he smiled “I wasn’t keen on baths when I was little” we both laughed he pointed to the cupboard under the stairs “this is where I would read my topper in peace i would read by touch light it’s a wonder I didn’t strain my eyes and end up wearing glasses”   
I looked at Ben “what it was like living through a war”   
“well we just carried on with our daily lives when you went into town you saw a bombed building you just walked past the rubble, you just got on with your day people still had to work and do their shopping”   
“were you ever frightened?   
“Not really you got used to the bombing and you tried not to think of the people who might have been killed in the raid then there was the smell in the air raid shelters and the underground so many people huddled together waiting for the all clear people had to live on rations that had to last them that was the good thing about being in the R.A.F we had 3 good meals a day”  
“You didn’t know if your next day was your last so we lived our lives to the full it was a hard life but we were happy”   
“Did you ever feel scared going on missions?  
“Yes I did you would be a fool not to i would climb into the cop pit of my plane she was called sally after my girlfriend once you were ready you were running on adrenalin our minds and bodies concentrated on the mission everything else was forgotten the worst part was coming back and finding there were pilots missing it was hard everyone laughing and joking together one day and then the next day they were gone when we went to have our supper you couldn’t help looking at the empty places at the table were they sat”  
“What was it like falling in love finding that special someone?   
He smiled “it was wonderful we spent every moment we could together I felt so sad when I had to go back to the base after being on leave I thought about her all the time and of course I wrote to her nearly every day she was everything to me and I still miss her so much and I have never stopped loving her”  
I smiled at Ben   
“I will be your girlfriend”  
Ben looked at me with anger in his eyes “No don’t say that your young you have a life to live and what can I give you nothing”   
I was quite startled he was no longer the gentle man i knew.


	9. Chapter 9

Ben looked at me his head tilted to one side, “did you even try,”   
“Yes I did I almost shouted   
“Hey calm down”   
“Am sorry ben”  
“That’s ok tell me all about it”  
“Well I was so excited going out with the girls but once we met up I just felt uncomfortable I thought I might feel better when we headed for the club but it was all men wanting to buy me drinks to get me drunk and wanting to touch me up on the dance floor I am still a bit weary of men since I had my heart broken so it was not my idea of a fun night out”   
Ben looked angry “that’s not way to treat a lady he said   
I could see the hurt in his eyes and “  
that’s no way for a gentleman to act with a lady”   
I smiled “that’s so sweet of you to defend my honor you are a real gentleman” i turned and looked at Ben   
“before you say anything I am spending the rest of weekend at home with you”  
Ben put his hands up in mock surrender i giggled Ben had loads of silly stories and I soon felt better.  
I enjoyed his company later when I had changed into my pjs I sat next to Ben he looked at me   
“penny for your thoughts I said  
He smiled “I was just wondering why a beautiful lady like you hasn’t got a boyfriend till you told me about having your heart broken”   
I sighed Ben touched my hand “you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to”  
“No its ok I had a bad break up with my last boyfriend Kev he cheated on me with someone younger and pretty and slimmer I came home from work early to find him in our bed with her with that smirk on her face I was devastated I couldn’t understand what I did wrong I thought we were good together”   
Ben looked at me “am sure you didn’t do anything wrong his hand brushed my cheek he must of been mad to cheat on someone as beautiful and special as you”  
Blushing I whispered “thank you”   
“My pleasure he smiled.  
The next day I had bens drawing and the cards framed i found a place for it on my bedroom wall were I could see it from my bed I would picture little Ben his face full of concentration and his tongue poking out, I kept the marbles in a small silver box with a glass lid and the solider stood proud on my bedside table in a glass case along with the bus it made me feel close to Ben I couldn’t stop thinking about him saying I was beautiful, an special.  
The next morning i woke up to find him sitting on my bed   
He smiled “morning Rachel”  
I stretched “morning Ben”   
“Thank you it was very kind of you”   
“What for i asked   
Still half a sleep he smiled and he looked up at the picture on the wall i smiled   
“it deserves to be seen i said   
“It’s hardly a work of art it was kind of you to gave it to me and hey you won a competition with that drawing”  
“I can still remember my prize”  
“If you don’t mind me asking what was it”   
“It was a boy’s adventure book filled with lots of exciting stories” he smiled shyly thank you   
I smiled “it was my pleasure”   
We spent the rest of the day on the sofa Ben had loads of fascinating stories some were funny and had me in stitches some were very sad I learnt so much about the house he showed the places he would hide when he was called for a bath he smiled “I wasn’t keen on baths when I was little” we both laughed he pointed to the cupboard under the stairs “this is where I would read my topper in peace i would read by touch light it’s a wonder I didn’t strain my eyes and end up wearing glasses”   
I looked at Ben “what it was like living through a war”   
“well we just carried on with our daily lives when you went into town you saw a bombed building you just walked past the rubble, you just got on with your day people still had to work and do their shopping”   
“were you ever frightened?   
“Not really you got used to the bombing and you tried not to think of the people who might have been killed in the raid then there was the smell in the air raid shelters and the underground so many people huddled together waiting for the all clear people had to live on rations that had to last them that was the good thing about being in the R.A.F we had 3 good meals a day”  
“You didn’t know if your next day was your last so we lived our lives to the full it was a hard life but we were happy”   
“Did you ever feel scared going on missions?  
“Yes I did you would be a fool not to i would climb into the cop pit of my plane she was called sally after my girlfriend once you were ready you were running on adrenalin our minds and bodies concentrated on the mission everything else was forgotten the worst part was coming back and finding there were pilots missing it was hard everyone laughing and joking together one day and then the next day they were gone when we went to have our supper you couldn’t help looking at the empty places at the table were they sat”  
“What was it like falling in love finding that special someone?   
He smiled “it was wonderful we spent every moment we could together I felt so sad when I had to go back to the base after being on leave I thought about her all the time and of course I wrote to her nearly every day she was everything to me and I still miss her so much and I have never stopped loving her”  
I smiled at Ben   
“I will be your girlfriend”  
Ben looked at me with anger in his eyes “No don’t say that your young you have a life to live and what can I give you nothing”   
I was quite startled he was no longer the gentle i knew.


	10. Chapter 10

I had to say something to bring my Ben back,   
“And you can give me your love”   
Ben looked angrier “my love what good is that I am dead Rachel dead I can’t hold you I can’t kiss you and I can never make love to you I can’t give you what you want”   
And with that he left I didn’t see him again that weekend I didn’t mean to make him angry  
“I couldn’t believe it she wanted to be my girlfriend me I can’t give her the things she needs I can’t be anything to her I have nothing to give. My mind drifted I could see her beautiful blue eyes and her smile and hear her lovely little giggle then it hit me I was in love with Rachel oh my god no I shouted to no one this cant be happening she must never know”   
I felt so lonely i was glad when Monday morning came so I could go to work and not think of Ben I arrived home after work tired and dropped on the sofa i was just deciding what to have to eat when Ben arrived,  
“Am sorry he said I shouldn’t have taken my anger out on you”  
I reassured him that things were ok he sat down beside me when he looked at me his eyes were sad   
“I have thought really hard about this I love coming to see you but this the right thing to do, I won’t be coming to see you anymore”   
“Why Ben”  
“Because you should be out in the world living your life falling in love settling down having a family the things I can’t give you”   
And with that he was gone the days passed slowly and seemed empty I knew I was in love with Ben and I missed him so much  
I missed seeing Rachel but I knew it was the right thing to do she needed to move on and meet someone and fall in love, without me being in her way without her my days were empty I missed our talks and the way we made each other laugh it was braking my heart if I had one that beat I decided to stay hidden in the attic away from Rachel even thou it hurt so much not to see her   
I missed seeing my childhood home and the precious   
Memories it had for me I didn’t know what to do I wanted to see her so much but I knew it was wrong.  
I sat on the sofa grans jewellery box on my knee I looked at grans ring on my finger I opened the box gran never had expensive jewellery but they were lovely i lay grans bracelets and necklaces and rings on the sofa they were really beautiful as I looked in the box I saw a tab in the bottom I never noticed before I pulled the tab and It lifted up a panel and laying snuggle inside were a pile of love letters tied with a faded red ribbon I removed the ribbon and opened the first letter they were to my gran from Ben   
My Dearest Sally   
I miss you so much I want this war over so we can be together I can’t wait to come home on leave so I can be with you I feel so lonely here without you   
I am going out with the lads to night we have been given late passes I wont be looking at any girls you know you’re the only one for me I love you so much   
My squadron leader has just told me I might be on leave sooner than I thought so I may be with you soon darling I do hope so   
Thank you for the photograph you sent me I have it by my bed so you are the last thing I see before I go to sleep and the first I see you look so beautiful it made me realize I am so a lucky to have you for my girl  
I can’t wait for you to be my wife and live in our own home with our own little family  
Thinking of you being my wife that will be the greatest day of my life I was thinking we could go to Blackpool for our honeymoon   
What do you think?  
Let me know when you write back I will have to go now and rejoin my squadron you will always be in my heart and thoughts   
And I will always love you  
I will write to you soon sweet heart take care  
All my love Ben xxxxxxxxx  
I smiled my hands tracing over the R.A.F wings my gran had kept them safe and hidden with Bens letter they must have meant so much to her   
They must have been so in love Ben and my Nan I sat reading some more of the letters they were so beautiful and full of love   
A month after his last visit I woke up after falling asleep on the sofa to find him sitting by me, “why are you doing this waiting for me your young don’t waste your life on me, you can have the life I never had the chance to fall in love and have a family why are you hiding away from life with me”  
“tell me you don’t have feelings for me and i will live my life without you I almost shouted at him” he sat there silent looking at his hands then he stood up to face me there was anger in his eyes   
“Yes I love you god help me I do Rachel I am no good for you so I am leaving now you won’t see again I can’t do this to you what I feel is wrong you can’t love me there is nothing for you to love”   
and then he left I sat down crying i sat for ages in the dark after ben left I couldn’t believe I wouldn’t see him again I already missed him so much it hurt I didn’t know what to do so I cried at the loss of him the man I loved I just could not forget him my days were empty I would go to work and then I would sit on the sofa and called for Ben he never came to me after weeks of being in pain I decided to go out with the girls and try and make a life for myself this is what he had wanted me to do we met in the pub and decided to stay there rather than going to the club it was nice being with the girls they didn’t know about Ben they thought I was still upset over Kev they made an effort to cheer me up and I found myself having a nice time then I saw someone I thought it was Ben he had the same brown curls and stood just like Ben did I almost shouted his name but when he turned around it wasn’t him his eyes were brown my heart ached he smiled over at me then came over to our table “hello ladies he said and looked over at me. Hi my names Tim” he had such a nice smile “hi my names Rachel” the other girls introduced themselves “can I buy you ladies a drink”


	11. Chapter 11

When Tim went off to order Lizzy looked over at me “he seems nice I smiled yes he is”   
Tim came back with the drinks and sat by me, we spent all night talking he was so easy to talk to at the end of the night he asked for my number I told him I wasn’t looking for a relationship at the moment he said he wasn’t looking for a relationship either and asked if he could take me to dinner just once Lizzy nudged me go what have you got to lose so I said yes we arranged to meet up the following night, after a while we all headed home Lizzy hugged me and said you can tell all the details on Monday   
Ok I will night see you all on Monday.  
The next night I picked out my favourite blue dress and got ready for my date with Tim as I was leaving I felt a cold chill i turned expecting to see ben but there was no one there.  
I watched Rachel leave for her date she looked so beautiful I wanted to reach out to her but I knew it would be wrong, I felt jealous of this Tim he would hold her and kiss her and he would be able to make love to her know the feel of her body I felt like my heart had been ripped out I didn’t think I could feel pain anymore Rachel had changed my life so much I hoped he would make her happy   
Tim took me to a lovely restaurant he pulled my chair out for me a real gentleman he was quite attentive but I knew there could never be anything between us, Being with Tim made me think more about ben when he laughed his curls feel forward just like bens I missed him so much I stopped thinking about him and concentrated on my date, Tim was so easy to talk to I found myself relaxing I really enjoyed our time together Tim saw me home we stood at my front door we looked at each other “I’ve had a lovely evening Rachel I really enjoyed being with you” he looked at me “you seemed miles away during our date he sighed  
“There’s someone else isn’t there”  
I looked at Tim “yes there is”   
He smiled “he’s a very lucky man” then he leaned forward and kissed my cheek   
“Goodnight Rachel it was a pleasure to meet you”  
“It was a pleasure to meet you to Tim” then he climbed into the taxi and left, I opened the door and flopped on the sofa and took my coat off and placed it by me what am I doing Tim was so nice but he was not ben that was the problem I sighed was it always going to be like this that no man will live up to him what was I doing I had to stop doing this I needed to put ben behind me and try and sort my life I sighed who was I kidding I knew I couldn’t forget him and I didn’t want to he meant so much to me why was he being so stubborn.  
The week seemed to drag by I felt so lonely my work was the only thing that kept me going that and Liz and the girls kept asking me to join them at the local pub it was nice being with the girls they were such fun later on a tray of drinks were brought to our table the bartender smile these are from the gentleman in the corner we waved over and he waved back but didn’t come over after a while I decided to head home   
“I am done for the night I am heading home see you tomorrow Liz”   
“Ok call me when you get home let me know you’re ok”   
I smiled   
“I will”   
I managed to get a cab outside the pub I gave my address and I was soon home   
The days seemed to drag all I had was work and lonely nights   
Oh god what’s happening to me help me please  
I sighed my life was such a mess and I needed to do something a though came to me and I tried to push it away but it made a little nest in the back of my mind as the days dragged on the though refused to stay silent on my home from work I stopped off to do some shopping and there in the medicine aisle I saw them without thinking I picked up the largest box and headed to the check out with my shopping then I headed home my mind at peace I changed into my favorite jeans and top and I made myself a cup of tea which I sat on the coffee table with a glass of water and the box I had picked up at the shop I drank my tea then I took the tablets out of the box I carefully pushed the tablets out of the packaging till I had the amount I needed then I picked up the paper and pen that was beside me and I started to write   
“I cannot go on without the man I love this is the only way do not cry for me I am happy love Rachel”   
I put the letter on the coffee table   
Then with a smile I started to take the tablets after a while I was feeling sleepy I still took as many tablets as I could then I feel back on the sofa and fell into a peaceful sleep still smiling   
I felt myself floating then I was standing and looking at my body I looked so at peace   
I walked around the house each room was filled with memories of Ben I went back down stair and sat down on the sofa   
I felt so happy and at peace   
I felt a presence behind me I turned around and there stood ben he didn’t look to pleased   
“What the hell have you done?   
“I did what I had to do ben I love you and I want to be with you”   
“You had so much to live for”   
I looked at ben   
“What did I have to live for my job and lonely nights?   
“What kind of a life is that Ben?   
“For the first time in ages I am happy is that so wrong”   
Ben sat beside he took my hand his hand felt firm he looked at me   
“I love you Rachel”  
I didn’t want you to do something like this   
“I love you to Ben and this was my chose”  
He pulled me into his arms and kissed his lips they felt so soft   
“I can’t believe I am holding you in arms and I can kiss you”   
“believe it I said and kissed him”  
Ben stood up pulling me up with him I followed as ben walked towards the stairs we climbed the stairs slowly then we walked into my bedroom I lay down on the bed and ben kissed me  
“I have wanted to do this since I first saw you”  
He moved onto the bed and started to remove my cloths until I lay naked before him   
“God you are so beautiful more than I could ever had imagined”   
Ben stated to undress his body was firm with a light dusting of hair on his chest he stood naked before me his erection hard and bobbing   
“Please ben”  
I whimpered   
Ben lay down covering my body   
“Please what”   
He said smirking   
Please fuck me   
Ben giggled   
“Such a naughty girl”  
He said taking my nipple into his mouth while his erection pushed at my wet folds  
God that feels so good more please  
Ben pushed into me   
“Oh god”   
I had felt so full Ben let me adjust to his size then slowly started to move his hips I wrapped my legs around his waist and moving my hips so he could go deeper   
“Oh god Rachel that feels so good”   
We kissed hard and deep as his hips moved faster   
I could feel the heat in my core building   
Harder I need more   
Ben’s hips moved at punishing pace then my orgasm crashed over me in waves I had never come so hard then I could her ben rushing to his release I clenched around him   
“Oh fuck yes”   
He said before collapsing on me his breathing slowing down I looked at ben   
“I didn’t know we could do that”   
Ben smiled   
You will be surprised what we can do   
He said with a wink   
We cuddled for a while before dressing   
“What’s going to happen to sallies things”   
He asked   
I have a cousin I have left them to I know they will be looked after   
And the rest of your stuff   
It means nothing to me compared to you   
Ben smiled and kissed me   
“Is this really what you wanted?”  
He said looking at me and squeezing my hand   
“You are all I want Ben and I love you”  
Ben smiled and kissed me.

6 months later   
“Oh john this house is so beautiful and there are enough bedrooms for the children to have rooms of their own”   
“Have you noticed the atmosphere its feels full of love “  
“I know what you mean it feels like the two people who lived here loved each other so very much”   
Ben and I looked at each other and smiled we loved our home and we were glad it was going to be a family home again.  
The End


End file.
